1908.] 



Market Prices. 



69 



supply of these having ceased for the season there was a corre- 

 sponding increase in the demand for Scotch. Best 'English 

 tegs sold as high as 8d. per lb., which was id. higher than the 

 corresponding week of last year, but this price was restricted 

 to very small carcases, and those exceeding 72 lb. fetched only 

 yd. per lb. A very few Down lambs from Wallingford, weighing 

 about 32 lb., realised is. 2d. per lb., but early and heavy Dorset 

 half-breds were slow of sale at lod. 



Dutch veal at London reached y\d. per lb. and English 

 only y\d., but a large proportion of second and third qualities of 

 the former was sold at 6d. and even 5 \d. A few prime small 

 Dutch will often fetch \d. per lb. more than the best English 

 at this market, but it ought to be understood that this superiority 

 extends to only a very limited number of carcases, and, if a 

 fair average could be struck, there is no doubt that the 

 advantage would be with home produce. 



In the face of heavy supplies during the whole of the winter 

 pork has been depressed, and prices, compared with those of last 

 year, were lower on 5th March by about id. per lb. 



Our review of the provision trade commences with an 

 abnormal condition of the markets for butter. February had 

 witnessed an excitement which, springing from reports of a 

 great shortage, had forced up the price of colonial butters about 

 30s. per cwt., and holders were seized with panic. The trade was 

 for a time demoralised, but prices rapidly fell to their old level, 

 and in about a fortnight, the quotations went down from 152s. 

 to 120s. for colonial produce, at which they stood when March 

 came in. English butter was only affected to a small extent 

 by these fluctuations, which, after all, appear to have been 

 quite uncalled for by the real position, and were confined largely 

 to wholesale and speculating dealers. 



In contrast with butter, cheese has been very steady for some 

 time past at a fairly good price. The month opened with best 

 Cheddar worth 76s. per cwt. in London and 74s. at Bristol, 

 while Cheshire was selling in Liverpool at 78s. to 70s. per 120 lb., 

 and best Canadian at 64s. 6d. 



Bacon during the last few months has fluctuated from week 

 to week, but the tendency has been to a steady shrinkage in 

 values till, at the beginning of the month, they stood at 

 12s. to 15s. reduction for foreign and 5s. for Irish as compared 



